IT'S GRIM IN THE VALLEYS! 8 Worst places in historic Gwent, Wales

[@Turdtowns]

Just in case anyone is confused. This video covers the historic county of Monmouthshire. It was changed into Gwent in the 70s and then split into smaller counties like Blauenau Gwent and Torfaen in the 90s.

[@awesomeatronik]

Is this the hawk?

[@Turdtowns]

@@awesomeatronik who?

[@smiley055]

Nice you pointed that out,some people obviously don't read every part of the comments section.

[@awesomeatronik]

@@Turdtowns a KZbinr that if he isn't your twin brother must be your twin neighbour because homey he doesn't just have your accent, he has the same cadence, tone of voice, way of speaking and jokes as well. I had you playing on my phone whilst playing markyd on my tv, and it sounds like the same dude.

[@awesomeatronik]

@@smiley055 man there was already more than a hundred comments by the time I watched the video.

[@shinywarm6906]

As someone born in Brynmawr, raised in Cwmbran and living in Ebbw Vale, I can truly say I'm a child of Turdtown

[@paulchristie3306]

Why don't you move to Brighton or Eastbourne ?

[@LucyB-vx5ni]

Same 😂😂

[@xargs]

Absolutely hilarious, you deserve far more views than you have! Greetings from LA

[@I_hate_Vegemite]

50% of houses boarded up and empty ….. so there is somewhere in the UK to put the illegal African migrants.

[@treesarenotgreen]

​@Callum Kedward You are only 22. You should pack a bag and travel and go somewhere else. You won't need money if you are prepared to work. Go abroad. If you're taking drugs, get off them. There is so much more to life, your comment breaks my heart.

[@marcboblee1863]

The industrial and military might of the British Empire was founded on the coal mines and steel foundries in Wales and England..these communities were used and abandoned by successive governments...you should do a video on that....

[@T4SelNiNO]

Thatcher. The old slag

[@kieran5191]

Yup and they instead get repaid by the government giving funding to non white people that arrived post war in places like south London. White working class places in this country haven’t ever had any help and likely never will.

[@OffGridInvestor]

Well when they ran out of coal, their usefulness WAS FINISHED

[@T4SelNiNO]

@@OffGridInvestor hahaha. No. That's simply not true. We have enough fossil fuels in Britain to run this country for another thousand year's.

[@kieran5191]

@@OffGridInvestor they didn’t run out of coal they got replaced by cheaper coal from Germany and Eastern Europe.

[@froogsleegs]

coming from a small town myself it's safe to say that with the loss of industry, business and community life in general people living in these small towns are going insane. these towns are essentially becoming residential districts, everything else you need has relocated to the next big town/city you commute to. drug and alcohol addictions are pretty common but so is mental illness. i think the condition of the housing reflects the condition of the people, and the condition of the people pretty much reflects the condition of the UK at large, slowly falling apart.

[@rajariddock8752]

Totally agree with your observations my friend as I see same happening to small towns in my area. Luckily my small town is still decent enough, just about but its nothing compared to how pretty looking and pleasant it was 30 years ago and as for independent businesses and shops they are long gone along with the pubs and a thing of the past ,high st is grim but not yet at turd status.

[@TheBanana93]

Well if people didn't keep voting in the tories for the last 13 years.... they don't care about poor people only themselves.

[@bimmeroo0906]

Ah yes,...go on the mental....and get benefits for life,...never work again.

[@karlmeadows4986]

Just like detroit and philly

[@truthandfreedom8145]

Definitely a sad state of affairs! It's all part the deliberate agenda plan - to force everyone into a few mega cities and out of everywhere else! Hard to fight it when they take everything away in the more rural village and Small Town areas that people need to live!

[@jackhargreaves1911]

I used to run a government agency in South Wales (reporting to Whitehall). We really tried to do everything we could for the (genuinely) good people of the region, but the devolved Welsh Assembly Government preferred to spend all the money on themselves, their friends and families (plus the occasional vanity project such as amazingly expensive bridges). I’ve never met a more self-important, self-satisfied, self-serving group of (middle class) windbags in my life (and remember, I reported to Whitehall). Talk about fiddling while Rome burns!

[@benfletcher9659]

Why don't people whistle blow?

[@Battyholes]

Corruption

[@siarlb8115]

What agency was that?

[@atomictraveller]

doesn't matter, britain is part of the region where you can't say m.. mm.. muh.. m.. those boys in the lodge who hurt people but MK you to not worry like can't seem to say that word, evar

[@Blooboo7-el4qx]

I thought as much, something weird is happening with the devolved government. Also, whilst on the subject, the same thing is happening with the Betsi Cadwaladr Trust, absolutely appalling. Really makes me cross, they should be stripped of her name, they don't deserve it! Betsi was an absolutely amazing lady who achieved so much. Grrrrrr

[@TheBlackcredo]

My dad says that the best thing they ever did with Newport was to build the M4 tunnel under it. Also, can't wait for the Merthyr video. They throw spears at passing aeroplanes and have yet to discover fire.

[@RolloZx]

Aye that is going to be class - kevlar vests at the ready

[@SilverfoxJB]

Could do a whole video just on Merthyr, truly turdiest

[@alexandercarder2281]

I stayed in Merthyr vale next to aberfan

[@gojirabroderick6491]

They have, they need something to use under the spoon

[@resurgem]

​@@gojirabroderick6491 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Peter-lm3ic]

I well recall many years ago visiting Merthyr Tydfil as part of my job on the engineering side of the coal industry and a local invited me on a Saturday night to the M T Working Man's Club. It was absolutely packed with of course Welsh coal miners, but they were very friendly to the only Englishman there, vast quantities of beer was being drunk but there was no trouble whatsoever and when the last bell was rung they all stood up and sang their national anthem; 'Land of my Father's'. Very impressive. I stood up also of course but could only mouth the words. Not forgotten! I used to visit the engine house and the winding engineman were the best of the best! Wales is a beautiful country and has great traditions which some countries can only envy!

[@goodlifeliving1667]

Sounds glorious used to love club prices. I am Welsh now live in England. When my English husbands went out in Wales with workmates he was amazed at the night life and what half and half meant

[@Nunos645cgh]

Agree, I frequent, Snowdon, Conwy, Anglesey and it’s stunning and love hear people speak Welsh proud of their language and tradition.

[@utubeape]

You are a brilliant writer "...built from wood, asbestos and tears" How sad that people feel they are better off living in a tent rather than a boarded up abandoned house

[@raymondo162]

give abandoned houses to refugees

[@utubeape]

@@raymondo162 I am not sure that is a good idea because they would get a £50K tax payer grant to go with it so they can do it up and furnish it

[@negativeluigi4330]

​@@raymondo162how about you give your house to those illegal migrants

[@arawn10]

That's so depressing... My family is from Wales originally (around Bridgend).. I appreciate your joking and honesty, but this made me feel like crying..

[@CheshireCat6639]

Yes it was a sad watch, with the mining industry 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇫🇴 alot of town's suffered immeasurable damage. 😢 no wonder alcohol and drugs get some of them through the day😢

[@larryfroot]

I escaped. I ran like hell from the Cwmbran / Newport whoops what happened here. The vast majority of people living in both towns deserve so much better because their culture is still friendly, open and warm - though more so in Newport, I think. I can't look at the place and not reflect that the vast (and the marine coal value was truly vast) wealth of the country was dug up and sold and we didn't see a penny of it. Torfaen has the highest percentage of anti-depressant prescribing in the whole of the UK. As John Cooper Clarke said "It bloody hurts to look around."

[@cymro6537]

This is one of the consequences of Wales not having sought - or gained independence in the 19th/ 20th century....

[@pantheraleo4170]

@@cymro6537 Quite the opposite, devolution has failed Wales

[@cymro6537]

@@pantheraleo4170 I don't think that you quite understood my comment: I was talking hypothetically that if Wales had gained independence when it was at its height of it's industrial peak and would then have gained full autonomy in selling its own coal, steel,slate ,copper etc. Comparing today's Senedd with full independence of the 19th century doesn't compute.

[@pantheraleo4170]

@@cymro6537 okay, well you know, UK is a union of nations, and the UK likes to occupy other countries for strategic value and steal resources; we still hang on to a piece of Ireland probably out of spite. No idea why we still occupy a piece of Spain or an Island over 3000 miles away off the coast of Argentina. But we know why we support occupation of Iraq and American occupation of Syria; OIL

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

@@pantheraleo4170 Meanwhile the transwoman thatcher out of westminster destroyed the only vital economic lifeline of Wales. Which is independent would ironically made and still make the average welsh way more rich than the average english

[@jamieedwards6721]

I was born in pontypool and lived in cwmbran most of my life and the most depressing thing about this video from a locals point of view is the towns that didn't feature that are nestled between the ones that did are equally as grim and miserable, Blaina, Cwm, Crumlin and so on and that's just the Eastern valleys, there's a whole host of deprived miserable holes laying to the west in Rhondda Cynon Taf. I now live in Aberdare which I'd ague is the best town in the valleys however this is like saying I have to eat a bag of sick but at least its still warm. In fairness to the valleys the whole place shouldn't exist, just look slightly north at the brecon beacons national park, that's how the valleys used to look, beautiful mountainous landscapes with a few farms but the discovery of coal seams in the valleys turned the whole area into one big boom town and the world became a slightly less cheerful place for it. This "boom town" mentality is partly to blame for the valleys sense of impending doom, they simply wasn't built to last. When the mines opened it wasnt the locals that worked in them as there wasnt any locals just sheep and a few farmers so the mines attracted people from all over Britain and the world but it attracted a certain type of person, think Gimli from lord of the rings, short, stocky, quick to anger and liked the thought of spending all day down a hole, so naturally when the mines closed the miners and their decendents sturuggled to adapt to the modern world and live like surface dwellers so unemployment is very high. I know first hand that valleys people are salt of the earth and some of the most genuine people you could wish to meet they have just been dealt a devastating hand and catastrophically lost the lottery of life by being born in the valleys at the wrong time. I'll sum up like this, and I say this as a local, growing up in the valleys is like being a kitten, everything is great until you realise where you are and where you are is actually a sack with a bunch of other kittens slowly drowning, there's no escape and then you die.

[@Markyd123]

Interesting insight!

[@arthurarsekey6634]

Pretty accurate and very funny! I spent the majority of my time up a mountain on a bike to escape the local Orcs that roamed the streets on New Tredegar in the 80s, usually carrying small plastic bags full of Evo Stik or Tippex. the sense of decay and despair was rife so we just stuck wide handlebars on our 5 speeds and made jumps in the coal tips with shovels while the orcs impregnated the local girls they all shared.. I'm still pretty good on a mountain bike!

[@AndrewDCDrummond]

Treorchy is probably the best town. I moved to Ystrad from Surrey just over a year ago and love it here but it is a real shame that the valleys are so neglected compared to vanity projects in Cardiff, which basically doesn’t seem a very Welsh place, and didn’t when I was a student there in the early 80s.

[@rogerlee6599]

@@AndrewDCDrummond : I know what you mean ! Born in southeast England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 😀👍, not far from Surrey ! I know of Ystrad having lived in Gelli from December 2014 & now living in the smaller valley, still not too far from Treorchy, decent place in the upper Rhonnda Fawr 👍 ! For myself it is much quicker to head south out of the lower Rhondda Fach to get to Pontypridd !

[@CaptainDarling2020]

I look at these towns, and wonder where everyone works? The mines shut and there is really not a lot left. Ok there is more going on in Newport, but the rest, there’s like 5 shops open on the high street, and no doubt some small industrial park. But how do the towns keep populations of 1000s employed? (I can’t imagine everyone is unemployed as most houses have cars etc out front, and that’s not really possible on benefits is it? Unless you’ve got like 10 kids lol)

[@Decoffeee-ky4ch]

Also another problem Newport had was the council decided to build another shopping centre on the outskirts of town thinking Newport was big enough for 2 shopping hubs (it wasn’t). So a lot of shops left the town centre , leaving it in the terrible state it’s in today.

[@aaronbeat1136]

You can bet some of the councilors got a nice kickback for that development.

[@Decoffeee-ky4ch]

@@aaronbeat1136 nah it was probably naivety more than anything. A lot of this was planned before the 2008 crash, so there was a lot of misguided optimism. Then 2008 came around and everything went to hell….

[@aaronbeat1136]

@@Decoffeee-ky4ch Both can be true.

[@Maria7Maria]

@@aaronbeat1136 Yep. I live in Monmouthshire (actual M'shire not the one in this video lol) and even our council (Tory led at the time) decided to invest in new developments to the retail centre as opposed to investing in a new housing initiative within our own county boundaries. This was in 2018... thanks to Covid, their investments backfired spectacularly and £££ to the tune of a million or so vanished into thin air. Thanks, Monmouthshire council

[@cheryldgoddard6557]

Should have come to Alway in Newport! It is open drug use there too! And dealing in the open! I was glad to get out of there.

[@davem8114]

Was born in Newport and despite moving to Yorkshire with parents when young, I still spent around six weeks a year visiting my late grandparents so in many ways consider myself a Maindee boy (grandparents rented a huge house above a shop, now student flats) and whilst I could feel Newport would top your chart, I think you have done the with a bit of a dis-service by missing some key points. The parks in Newport are as good as anywhere of comparable size I've seen in England, the new shopping centre is shiny and did replace the (for me) iconic John Frost Squarre as well as unfortunately some of the beautiful murals near the square depicting the chartist riots and the ensuing bloodbath outside the Westgate Hotel, an event that led to similar uprisings around Britain. The Transporter bridge is a cherished landmark, in fact the number of bridges crossing the Usk are impressive. There are the ruins of a castle in the city centre as well as the various sporting venues (as mentioned) plus the theatres, Newport Centre and site of recent archeological finds along the river. At the two ends of the city you hsvr the impressive Tradegar House and the equally impressive Celtic Manor Resort - a full resort hotel complex that draws conference and event attendees from around the UK as well as hosting the G7 Summit. The old part of the hotel also used to be the Lydia Beynon maternity hospital in the 70s and is where any local born in that period would have come from (including the guy who owns the Resort, a certain famous thespian who is more well known for connection to Port Talbot and myself). Being on the M4 gives fast access to the other key cities in South Wales, Bristol and London. Getting to the South West is a cinch (I used to consider Wdston Super Mare a local seaside town) and whilst the drive into Mid-Wales isn't exactly rapid, the countryside you go through on the way is jaw droppong. Yes, parts are run down and a bit bleak but I'd say it has more identity and character than many English cities - I'd take Newport over say, Wakefield, Rotherham, Derby or Luton. Oh, and between Newport and Cwmbran you have the village of Caerleon which contains an impressive roman amphitheatre, roman barracks, museum and has more pubs than you can handle including one that used to be owned by Anthony Hopkins. On a sunny day, it's a beautiful place to spend some time. FINALLY, if you walk through a rougher part of town at 6am then don't be surprised to see shutters up on shops....it doesn't necessarily mean they are closed, but seriously.....6am. Hardly a representative time. Vent over. Enjoyed the video aside from not bigging the 'port up more :) ps. someone mentioned how dangerous it was on a night out and they are correct - nightclubs used to stagger closing times to avoid running battles. Thing is the whole problem wasn't the Newportonians as much as the kids coming down from rival Valleys villages/towns to party, and fight.

[@Jamal_Tyrone]

I'll defend that at least Cwmbran has places for the kids to go, there's a boating lake with a small cafe that's open in Summer, you can walk or cycle around the local river, there's a playground near the boating lake too with climbing frames, swings, a comically large slide etc. There's also a small skate park at the entrance to the river walk and bowling in the town. I'm actually from Newport but haven't a clue what the kids there are meant to do for fun besides smoking weed.

[@Decoffeee-ky4ch]

As someone from Newport, the reason why house prices are going up is due to people moving here from Bristol. As house prices are soo expensive in Bristol, people having been moving here since the Severn bridge tolls were removed. The Newport council don’t mind as there’s been such a brain drain for the past several decades, new people moving here with money has been a positive. But there is a LOOOOOOOONG way to go before Newport becomes a nice place again (lack of investment does not help).

[@CFC-ur7np]

Ive heard house prices are rapidly increasing in South Wales, specifically Newport from a mate. This true?

[@Decoffeee-ky4ch]

@@CFC-ur7np yes it’s very true. A 3 bed terraced house would have cost around 110k 5 years ago is now worth 160-200k today. 4 bed new build semi detached is around 350k. A lot of houses based in desirable areas sell within a week of going to market. A lot of people born and raised in Newport can either no longer afford a house, or can’t buy a house as it’s sold instantly, resulting in people moving out of town, and causing prices to go up in those areas.

[@tracyjane7724]

​@Chris-ky4ch this is very true. I sold my house in one of Newport's desirable areas and it sold in 2 weeks. I hadn't started packing! 😂

[@benllewelyn98]

​@@tracyjane7724There's no desirable areas of Newport 😂

[@Decoffeee-ky4ch]

@@benllewelyn98 says the person from abertillery….

[@williamalmquest3082]

According to Google, the 'ugly thing' opposite McDonalds in Brynmawr is the boiler house of the Brynmawr Dunlop Semtex Rubber Factory. Built post-war, the building was grade 2 listed. However, it was demolished in 2001 leaving only the boiler house intact. Thanks for the laughs your videos give me!

[@Turdtowns]

Hahah yes thanks for the info.l and support. Il be able to sleep without that thing haunting my dreams tonight now.

[@shinywarm6906]

my father worked there and though it won awards for its architecture, he said they could never stop the roof leaking. The main site is now a massive Asda

[@damianbylightning6823]

@@shinywarm6906 Ove Arup built - Brynmawr's connection to the Sydney Opera House.

[@maureenthomas9758]

The Sydney opera House actually copied the design of the factory so I'm told

[@damianbylightning6823]

@@maureenthomas9758 Brynmawr at the cutting edge!

[@cedriclynch]

Newport (Gwent) used to be the only place in the UK where they made cold-rolled grain-oriented electrical steel, needed for the most efficient transformers. On the other hand it was also the place where a mob burned down a woman's house and car because they had heard that she was a paediatrician.

[@meh78336]

funny story when told with exaggeration, turns out it was just she came home to find a couple of kids who sprayed Paedo oh her front door and she ended up moving elsewhere, though every time I hear about it it gets embellished more, this for instance is the first time I heard about her car being set on fire being added to it, usually its just a mob ran her out of her house.

[@Winkle89]

This sounds like a Chris Morris news story

[@halcharles9995]

@@Winkle89 It's based on a true story, and it did happen in Newport - but her house wasn't burned down, just defaced with graffiti. She did feel intimidated enough to move out immediately (and who can blame her). You can still find the news story (from 2000) online

[@gimmemore9709]

@@halcharles9995I remember that story, obviously the English language is not properly understood in Newport 😂😂

[@catherine7835]

​@gimmemore9709 well obviously it is seeing as English is actually the most spoken language there and a lot of Welsh people aren't fluent Welsh speakers

[@scottyoung5625]

Very amusing… enjoyed that. We live in Pontypool, such warm, friendly, humble and humourous people…. There’s so much more to the place than the symptoms of gross neglect and decades of underinvestment. Breaks your heart to see a high street that was thriving fall into decline.

[@Turdtowns]

I think it will recover. We spoke to lots of people in Pontypool and they gave me hope.

[@Lowdowndog]

Live just outside Pontypool and it is a shame what’s happened to the high street, really hope that this can be rejuvenated but not holding out much hope, railway station is having big cash spent on it though. Love the park, dogs probably love it more, up the hill to the grotto and the folly and the fantastic views as far as the Severn estuary and Somerset in the far distance on a clear day. As an English man living And working in Wales I have been asked on more than a few occasions why I even bothered coming here and to be truthful apart from the work there are worse places to live and it can’t be that bad as I have been here for over thirty years.

[@welshwarrior5263]

A Rhymney boy born, and I couldn't agree more. I joined the Army at 16 and would never move back. However, what I can't agree on was that the people are friendly. It was also a once thriving place to go drinking on the weekends until the government decimated the area with work and pub closures to keep the Welsh people down and cripple the economy.

[@lewisb85]

it's tragic but it's what happens when you pull all industry out of a location at the same time. I grew up in Blackwood and read local history at newport uni, it's actually depressing seeing all the resources getting pulled at once mines, steelworks and docks all relied on each other.

[@OrangeNash]

Yes, and that industry produced plenty of wealth in its day. Mostly syphoned off elsewhere, a lot to London of course.

[@jadekaay]

Shout out to Blackwood boulevard

[@meisterlymanu5214]

glamorgan poly...

[@johnbarnes888]

I was born and raised in Newport but since leaving (for the Welsh Valleys would you believe it) I have zero desire to return. It really is a sad story of Town/City going to shit. Even the pigeons look miserable there.

[@shahee6579]

What's newport like . And what are race relations like there ? Is it quite diverse?

[@johnbarnes888]

@@shahee6579 like many Cities there are areas with different ethnic groups such as Afro Caribbean, Pakistani and Somalian. It’s not like people of different ethnic backgrounds have all mixed together but I don’t think race relations is a particular issue for Newport 🤔. It’s just a run down, bleak, smelly and dour place

[@Tuck-Shop]

I worked in Newport for a bit and I must agree about the pigeons. It was outside a Debenhams where I saw the angriest pigeon just stood there annoyed with life. Everyone walked around it and left it alone.

[@cruella_91]

@@shahee6579 I’ve heard it referred to as Zooport

[@shahee6579]

@Martha thx

[@alexparker8355]

I moved to Blaenavon from kingswood Bristol defo a move up. Beautiful countryside but as you say a lot of the village is run down. Hopefully in time prosperity will return. Most people are decent and lots of history.

[@Turdtowns]

It could be a beauty spot there. If it was anywhere else in the country it probably would be.

[@damianbylightning6823]

It's awful! It's colder, wetter, depressed and there's a giant Labour Party underground theme park that has wasted millions in public money. Wales and especially places like Blaenavon, will never even be normal - as long as politicians know they can do anything consequence-free. The area has a sizable moron/gullible/tribal population and grifters feed off them. If you haven't sussed that yet, time to wake up!

[@gromit8023]

To be fair most places are a step up from Kingswood XD

[@IainFrame]

I visited the Big Pit a few weeks ago. Really interesting place.

[@damianbylightning6823]

@@IainFrame I found the same joy with a pencil museum in Cumbria . Like you, I'm a hopelessly boring cunt.

[@stormx2827]

I just moved to Newport after living in London for a decade and I love it hah. Friendly locals, independent shops, beautiful countryside on my doorstep.

[@martin-1965]

I live in Cardiff and have done all my life. Back in the 90s, Newport was the place to go to see great live music, centred around the legendary TJs club, and it was a mad, bad but friendly place to visit. I have friends that have moved from Cardiff to Newport and, avoiding the worst areas like Pill, there are some lovely, leafy suburbs with parks nearby and old Georgian townhouses that are actually affordable compared to Cardiff and definitely Bristol. This is why so many Bristolians have moved to Newport since the Severn Bridge tolls were abolished, as it's cheaper to find a decent home and easy to get to Bristol (or Cardiff) by train or car for work. The city centre though is appalling but I fear the same is slowly happening in Cardiff. I don't need to say anything about Bristol as Turdtowns has just done a video that says it all. So, yeah, Newport - not great in the centre but there are decent areas to live in, and I miss the great live music scene. Ah well...

[@uttaradit2]

xactly

[@pantheraleo4170]

I moved to Newport from Bristol since being priced out of over priced Bristol. I have been here nearly 2 years and I want to move back to England to be honest, but saying that Newport is trying to improve but I agree, it is dire in certain areas of Newport and the shopping centre.. the new bit is okay just needs more shops to move in, but like other shopping areas in the UK they are turning to ghost towns - even Cardiff, due to high commercial rates/rent and online shopping generation - however I think greed plays a part from fashion retailers - cheaper to have a warehouse than lots of retail units.

[@garethwilliams-uy3uk]

​@@martin-1965....I remember seeing some great live bands at The Kensington Court Club in Newport (Maindee) in the 70s....

[@workingclassman9727]

good on you i wish you the best of luck i also moved from the greedy smoke

[@drogna3905]

I grew up in Abertillery. I had a great childhood, but this was when the mines were flourishing. It's desperately sad to see how run-down the towns have become. I've lived in England for the last 40 years.

[@chrisevans8321]

Feel for these people 😡 Towns and cities all over Britain just left to die . The councils The schools The police The government The rich They don’t care . The only thing that can change it is us !! Clean your streets Talk to the kids and try and put them on the right path !! Don’t be afraid to call the authorities out for not doing their jobs !! Just get out there and change it otherwise they win !!!!

[@atomictraveller]

goose a couple of undetectable lodge brothers on bollards with evidence that significant rotation was involved see if things change then

[@NekoChan25692]

Thanks I guess considering I’m one of those people

[@atomictraveller]

@@NekoChan25692that'd be a whole lot diff'rent depending on whether you were replying to me or OP

[@NekoChan25692]

@@atomictraveller I was replying to OP

[@robertlewis4216]

Two more for you visit list: 1. Penrhys 2. The Gurnos estate in Merthyr SAS team strongly advised for both.

[@martynlloyd4194]

Lansbury Park in Caerphilly another

[@leeedwards6455]

Phillipstown

[@sedoniadragotta8323]

Fernhill is a dump

[@Ghost-of-a-man]

He’ll be lucky to get out of the Gurnos in one piece.

[@bantamNeil12]

Graig Y Racca is another...Can't remember if it's lower or upper which is the very bad one as both are separated away from each other...👍🏻

[@cervelo9465]

Thank you for making the video that I requested. Absolutely brilliant. I know all 8 places very well as i grew up in Abergavenny about 10-20 miles from all these places.

[@KeironStarr]

I feel I have to defend my home a little here 😂 Bettws in Newport is dreary, but most of the issues here are caused by kids who are so bored, smashing a window seems the only fun thing to do (it's not). Although Bettws may have not been developed since the 60's/70's, we have amazing green spaces here that link you to the surrounding areas. We also have a strong sense of community. That said, everything else in this video is 100%. Wales has been pilledged and discarded for too long. Time we start taking back what's ours

[@jadekaay]

They got rid of all the youth centres and parks, then told everyone if they stood on the street in a group of more than three people then it would count as a gang engaged in antisocial behaviour. The streets are very empty in the valleys now

[@ethanjn8324]

Yeah to be fair tho the kids in newport are just little shits I live in corpa and it's just full of little knobheads

[@meisterlymanu5214]

Taking back whats welsh means thousands of young setting up businesses and sticking at it. I dont see much of that, they all either want dole, a public sector job or if theyre lucky or educated work in Cardiff for a large corporate. There is SO much money in plumbing, scaffolding, building, house rebuilds, kitchens, painting, gardening, thats what the kids need to be focussing on. They just want an easy life though...the poverty is nothing to do with English pillaging Wales.

[@TrogDweller]

Anyone here remember those times when mothers and grandmothers used to keep the brass or slate entrance ways to the houses spotless? Just one memory for me from a small village just south of Abertillery back in the early 60's. Not like that anymore I guess? I escaped Wales and then the UK over 40 years ago.

[@steveaga4683]

I grew up in Rhymney and, back then, it was a superb place to live! Loads of local shops! Great pubs and clubs! Brilliant park with a bowling green, playground, rugby field and tennis courts! Spent much of my time playing in the hillsides and mountains overlooking the town! It was a very friendly, family oriented place to live. I used to live at the centre...and there were a dozen buses an hour passing through. A hive of activity! Indeed, people travelled from further down the valley to partake in the active nightlife that existed! We had 2 cinemas, damn it! How times have changed.

[@atomictraveller]

griffiths the bank, fam moved to tucson in 1980. cherished memories. that christmas i dreamed i got a pop-up book with cactus and benny hill cowboys who shot each other, woke up bawling. folks are mean, mean here, and i'd find out. i wore that "times have changed" thing for decades, then i got to wear it again when i saw what our wonderful asonic cryptocracy has done to my homeland. free 3wst p4pu4

[@bleddynpullen8329]

Most of that is still there and still in use, he just stuck to the high street... he ain't wrong about it being a turd town full of crime and drugs but the Royal Park, Rugby, bowls even the tennis courts are still there. Building next to it turned to a college then a gym and I think it's closed completely now (living in Tredegar)

[@richhorton8898]

Around 2000, a band called "Terris" ( short lived) came out of Newport and in an NME interview back then , they were saying heroin was then more cheap and more available than a general spliff, along with homeless kids wandering the streets both day and night!

[@Turdtowns]

Hope that’s not still true

[@welshmountaingoat9034]

I look forward to the Glamorgan installment, plenty of strong candidates there - the South Wales Valleys are in a class of their own when it comes to turdtowns! Although it's not a town, you should go to Penrhys, a bleak isolated housing estate on top of a hill which has to be seen to be believed.

[@MATTY110981]

Great video. So far the most depressing county you have visited. It is shocking and shameful that we have deprived places like this in the UK.

[@Turdtowns]

Yea the top 2 were a real eye opener.

[@tilerman]

No different to any other country really. I've spent a lot of time touring Europe in my camper and every country i've visited has some pretty grim run down towns. Parts of France were a real eye opener, as were central Spain.

[@MATTY110981]

@@tilerman From experience the north east of France is quite bleak and also suffered from pit closures and de industrialisation. Regarding Spain I have visited some towns near the French border on the Bay of Biscay and will say they are still the most deprived places I have encountered on mainland Europe. But also Spain’s economy is a lot smaller than the UK or France. I believe the biggest problem the UK has is the level of inequality. The Valleys is one of many deprived places we have and not the exception to the rule.

[@kjp1232]

Same as any country with a corrupt greedy government putting nothing in and taking everything in taxes as long as the rich get richer that's all that matters in their world

[@gazza1858]

Blame Thatcher she destroyed these communities.

[@DVous]

Born and raised in Newport, it’s not that bad, at least every place you move to after seems lovely!

[@douglaswhite9915]

The heck did you manage to pronounce Abertillery properly but butcher Ebbw Vale, Blaenavon & Brynmawr 😂. Little disappointed you didn’t mention things like Pontypool Park, which I think is a lovely area of the town, I’m guessing you arrived there on a Wednesday as you were looking at the local weekly market stalls. Also that big ass store that was closed was Argos originally but due to Covid it closed and they never reopened it.

[@Turdtowns]

I think we filmed our drone in Pontypool park. It should be in some of the footage. It was a big green space with a river next to it by the disused toilets. And I tried really hard to make sure i pronounced the names correctly. Literally did research 😂 I guess other people pronounce them wrong too.

[@douglaswhite9915]

@@Turdtowns I must say, I forgot to mention it in my first post, you were mighty brave to head into Pill, are you aware how dangerous it is, or were you feeling particularly lucky in not getting stabbed on that day? 😂

[@mjphotographic-co-uk]

Living in the area my entire life (bar 3 years of uni in Swansea), while being aware of just how awful some of the towns have gotten - I still love it. Can't lie though, it was pretty funny to hear any outside perspective of someone who wasn't trying to be polite

[@mjphotographic-co-uk]

Honestly shocked Newport came out worse for crime than Cardiff - from personal experience, Cardiff feels significantly less safe than any other place I've been in Wales - including every place on this list (plus Merthyr Tydfil & Tredegar)...

[@joeshepherd6159]

The trouble with Wales it`s grey . Grey weather, grey mountains, grey slates, grey buildings grey depressing damp greyness.

[@baltasarnoreno5973]

My memory of Wales is the same. I lived and worked in Aberystwyth for about a year and I was very struck by the general greyness that permeates everything. Iwas anxious to leave almost from day one. And I'm no stranger to greyness -- I grew up in central Scotland, where you will find many many places that are very very similar to the places featured in this video, and it had the economic s-h-i-t kicked out of it just as much as south Wales.

[@RhysJervis]

It's true

[@daisyroots8926]

I’ve moved home to South Wales after 32 years in S.E.London.. it’s so noticeable how run down the Valleys have become… shocking

[@calamatylostherhorse6506]

Do you prefer living in Wales now or do you regret leaving south London ?

[@recall2880]

@@calamatylostherhorse6506please tell us

[@jbravobravo493]

I live in pontypool its a nice place to live loads of beautiful walking places ,lovely views my neighbors are really nice and we all look after each other ,to say there is a high crime rate were ??? Pontypool has a rich history with loads of improvements over the yrs, pubs are good, food is good, the people are kind and happy

[@FriedEgg101]

In the year 2000 I was doing my geography a level, and we had a week long field trip to Abergavenny. We visited Ebbw Vale, and used it as a case study for urban decline. We even studied the River Ebbw upstream and downstream of Ebbw Vale, to see what kind of fitlh the place added to it, and what effect that had on the little critters of the river. I had a great week tbf.

[@Barbarapape]

I live in North Wales, and it is just as bad as the rest of Wales. Unkept streets full of closed shops, and if you meet anyone they either look very misserable or you are better staying out of their way! So there are plenty more grim places for you to visit.

[@pauls3075]

It's actually worse in North Wales, because at least they speak English in the South. The northerners speak Welsh just to spite the English. Miserable lot.

[@simracingwales4997]

Rhyl need i say more lol

[@aaronbeat1136]

@@simracingwales4997 At least it's got a sandy beach.

[@simracingwales4997]

@@aaronbeat1136 🤣🤣🤣

[@arthurarsekey6634]

I spent a few years living near Llanberis and it's beautiful as long as you stay out of the towns, then it's pretty bad. Not quite as bad as the valleys though, as a valleys boy I can tell you from first hand experience there's not many places worse - probably only large northern towns like Rotherham Grimsby St Helens Oldham etc are more grim. Oh yes, some parts of Liverpool as well - Speke is VERY special

[@Ahibasabala]

As a Londoner, most of the places you show look kind of good to me, especially the proximity to open countryside. I eye up those grim trees like someone who's eaten processed meat for 20 years might look at a salad, with desire. I could find that depressing, or i could take comfort from it and know there are a lot of interesting and better places out there

[@FGCmtg]

Yup. I grew up on the outskirts of Newport and have lived in London for ten years since leaving. I often long to be able to cycle or walk up into the hills on a drizzly Sunday afternoon. This video really highlights the worst parts of the places visited, every town has bad spots, but usually some nice places if you know where to go.

[@barlow2976]

All these places have plenty to commend them, if only the easily-accessible beautiful countryside around them. I was a Londoner, but would never go back there, ever. I loathe these videos, so negative and he seems to enjoy poking fun at these places. Loads of false information on crime rates etc too, but what do you expect watching videos produced by a sad little boy.

[@Shauneroo]

When you come to Powys, you have to do Newtown. It's essentially a huge ring of grim council estates surrounding a street with some charity shops on it. There's a bypass now though, so it's not all bad news.

[@stillben]

is Powys generally good? some of the Victorian towns look nice and the A roads are excellent for driving.

[@Dehydratedpencil]

​@@stillbenI have family living in Machynlleth in Powys and visit alot and it's lovely. Very popular street market every Wednesday and it's not far from natural sights like Aberdyfi.

[@RW-nr6bh]

​@@stillben Montgomery and Knighton are lovely in my experience.

[@sugarbertie1143]

I'm going to Montgomery on Saturday to stay in the area for a few days. It's a beautiful place, as is Knighton, Rhayader, etc. We've been several times and thankfully its a world apart from some of the Valleys towns. But coming from an ex mining area myself with family at the pit, those Valleys towns have just suffered like my local ones have so are normal to me. No doubt the 'cultural enrichment' though which Drakeford and his clan has dumped on them, won't have made things any better for sure. 😢

[@terryroberts505]

My late grandfather work 50 years in the steel works in Ebbw vale and retired in the early 70s and lived in Cwm spent many a summer holiday as a kid with my mother & nan walking along the shops in Ebbw vale. What you got to remember is that the Valleys had there heart ripped out when they closed the pits and the steelworks in the early 80s and the governments over the years took took in the good times but put nothing back in ie investment I still go back to Cwm as my mother and father ashes are scattered over looking her mother and father house I still love Wales and the valley someone from Essex which is not to clever here

[@dm607]

I was born in Cwm in 61 when Dad, Uncles and Grandad worked down the pit at the end of our road. We moved to Australia in the 70s'. It's all gone now, and it makes me so sad to see how far Monmouthshire has fallen.

[@AbuHajarAlBugatti]

Well those lazy fucks had 80 years to find other ways of making money. Be it just becoming a call center capital or developers or anything else to do with internet and service. But nah for the past 40 years people relied on welfare instead There are so many ways to set up productive companies. Blame your welsh government for rather investing in…well what did they even invest in , in decades?

[@terrywatkins907]

Proud of roots- well done!!

[@Tomlear99]

Abit late to the video but I’m from pontypool and live just up the road in trevethin, you caught the Wednesday market when you went which is probably the only thing worth going there for when it’s on, it’s a fantastic place to live and I’m so proud to be from here with the history of the place including the rugby team,but pontypool just like all the other places in the valleys was used and abused and left behind thanks to the mines being shut down and having no plans for the families, the amount of shops being closed has only risen in the last few years and the rent is high in town coupled with the fact it has barely anyone visit turns into a vicious circle of buying and eventually selling the shops, glad to see we made it and to hear we can be polished with an outside view is good to hear, thanks turdtowns 😆😆

[@colinpreston4148]

I lived on Canford Close in Trevethin. Went to the local secondary school. ( Melvin Jones was the headmasterin thise days)Some of the best days of my life. But as with many more i joined the Army at 17 and by the time I finished my service, my parents had moved to Cwmbran. What a backward move that was !!

[@rodgie84]

Started my life in blaenavon and proud of it but man South wales is falling apart

[@IamNotANumber]

You missed out an actual cool part of Blaenavon. The museum with the cottages that you can look around done out from different decades. It was on a TV show called Coalhouse where some Welsh people lived in the cottages, the men worked down the mine and the women's kept the house.

[@MiningForPies]

That sounds really good, love museums like that. They have one in Yorkshire that has blacksmiths all the way down to a Neolithic round house, and there’s a house in Stockport that shows the same house in different eras.

[@daigravystain]

As a child of the 70s I can remember when these towns thrived. Community, work,clubs, sports, pride. After the pits closed, and not just the pits the steelworks too, it killed all of that. I've lived through all the laughable little government schemes, walks, statues that have come and gone. Festival park in ebbw vale was supposed to be a game changer. That didn't work either and remains a big expensive white elephant. Until the industry that these places were built around can be replaced (another McDonald's won't cut it I'm sorry) then down the pan they will continue to spin..........Except Newport. Newport was always shit.

[@marsultra7032]

Newport is one hell of a rough town,

[@chrislewis6393]

Newport next to Cardiff isn't a town anymore it gained City status about 10 years ago

[@marsultra7032]

@@chrislewis6393 I know its not a town, its just a term I used

[@DavidPaulMorgan]

Newport boy here! (M4 inhabitant of Gwent, Mid & South Glamorgan at various times!) old enough to remember when the Brynglas Tunnels & M4 were built. No-one ever mentions the beautiful parks either side of the river - Bellevue and Beechwood. I grew up in the Malpas/Crindau area and also lived at the top end of Malpas road. I always preferred shopping in Cwmbrân to Newport. No mention of the old restored canal system the Monmouthshire & Brecon canal systems - great for frogs & sticklebacks as a nipper. Annoyingly, it was the income from the Steelworks and the Docks that used to keep Newport 'afloat' - Once the big industry closed, then the people's and the council's incomes were hit badly! The view from The Ridgeway across the channel to the Mendips is stunning, and looking the other way we have 'Little Switzerland' and the view across to Twm Barlwm - the iron age hill fort. Newport, like Barry seems to get 'bad press' but we're better off than some. Unfortunately, it really is Chav Town now. The out of town retail parks to the west and east are OK, but towncentre took a dive when tesco moved out. Also, after years of pursuing Debenhams to be the prestige store in the new Friars Walk shopping centre, Debenhams bloody went bust! The St Woolos / Gwynllyw Cathedral is also charming. (Disclosure, I've been living in Grangetown Cardiff for the past 22 years!)

[@edovelthuis]

I was raised in Cwmbran, went to college in Pontypool and used to go out in Newport. I went on a date with a girl from Blaenavon and she took me to a 'pub'. It was someone's front room turned into a bar.This was late 80s. Seems like not a lot has changed. If you have no business in Pill, it's a good idea to stay away is my advice!

[@Welshwolf62]

I was born in Cwmbran an spent about 13 years drinking in pill because of the love of reggae music, an let me tell you some of the best times of my life was in pill.

[@mattwilliams2064]

Pill, Ringland, Duffryn etc are cracking places to hang out providing you know the right heads. Saying that any trouble that happens is usually beefs between local lads, gangs. Never had any probs down there personally.

[@jadekaay]

I used to be walking round Newport at 3am on a weekend, talked to everyone I met, always had a great time. The most important thing to do is greet everyone in a friendly manner while showing zero fear. I miss TJs

[@hennerzz3460]

@@jadekaay good advice wherever you are :)

[@sabrinah2378]

As someone who was born in pill but moved away as a teen but still regularly visit my family there I literally knew we were number 1 it felt like cheering for a sports team

[@missmuffet3874]

Oh my goodness. How depressing. It’s disgusting that the UK as such deprivation in 2023.

[@Turdtowns]

Crazy isn’t it you don’t expect it away from big cities

[@rogerlee6599]

@@Turdtowns : I.M.H.O. I know of no such 'Levelling Up' Funding since Brexit, spent in the LOCAL AREA e.g. Rhondda Fawr / Rhondda Fach Valleys ! 'Communities First' Funding from Welsh Government was supposed to HELP OUT the DEPRIVED AREAS of Wales, of which there are still ever so many ( 1980s onwards ), & still since the 'Communities First' Funding was CLOSED DOWN shortly BEFORE European Union ( E U. ) departure, Brexit, hence E.U. Community Funding has GONE & as far as I am aware, this has NOT BEEN REPLACED in the ( LOCAL Rhondda Fach / Rhondda Fawr ) DEPRIVED AREAS by ANY ( significant ) FUNDING from the Conservative H.M. Government of the U.K.G.B. Levelling Up Funding going DIRECT TO the LOCAL Council(s), instead of / missing out the Labour Welsh Government / Senedd Cymru ! I have LIVED in this area of south east Wales for 8+ years & I have seen NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE of ANY SIGNIFICANT Financial Investment / Capital Spending in this LOCAL AREA, indeed Rhondda Cynon Taf Borough Council CONTIBUTE financially to the CARDIFF Capital City Region, but what of this contribution / funding being spent here in the Rhondda Fawr / Rhondda Fach areas = 🍬 F*** All / S.F.A. . . . I.M.H.O. !

[@rogerlee6599]

Miss Muffet : #1 = Philanthropy . . . . . . #2 ( or #2s 💩 💩 ) at best ! I hate anything at all to do with ANY Politics, Politicians, Political Parties in U.K.G.B. England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 / Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 ! ADDENDUM : I.M.H.O. It is ( far / much ) better to be #1 Selfless . . . than it is to be #2 ( at best ) Selfish !

[@domzbu]

@@rogerlee6599 you LOST. GET OVER IT LOL

[@russelljones9207]

​@@rogerlee6599 What makes you think you're entitled to other peoples money?

[@RW-nr6bh]

Travelling up from Newport to Brynmawr on the X15 takes all enternity. In Abertillery the bus negotiates a tight corner next to a pub, one evening I was on the bus going through that stretch and a man walked out of the pub and straight into the side of the moving bus.

[@gavcat2382]

Good times!

[@Bazroshan]

I popped into Newport High Street at night for a take-away a couple of years ago and I could see that it was run down. My heart now sinks to see how dreary the rest of the town is. Abergavenny was also a bit disappointing compared with the other towns nearby, which towns I found very pleasant.

[@rickrivethead]

Abergavenny dissapointing?!, its posh as hell!!

[@wakeup2theNWO]

I'm from Abergavenny it's not run down at all yes a few crappy council estates but definitely not run down

[@geoffpj1]

That was a depressing watch. I was brought up in Monmouthshire county in the 60’s and 70’s. Newport used to be a nice town with a thriving market and shoppers centre. It only became a city in around 2002. Shameful to see its decline. These valley towns are very depressing and no future for youngsters. Travel west and I think you’ll find the same story everywhere

[@rickestonrecordings]

As a proud descendant of the Cwmbran diaspora, I fully endorse this video.

[@VermilionStudios]

Hoping to see a Wiltshire one at some point, should be fun 😄 I will also add that welsh indoor markets are generally pretty decent, especially if there's somewhere selling freshly baked welsh cakes. 5:14 is certainly an unusual place, the cars are driving backwards 🤣

[@chrisoffer3074]

Yes visit Swindon it's lovely

[@flik322]

Great pick up! '...the cars are driving backwards 🤣.'

[@ianstobie]

Driving backwards as at 5:14 is an essential skill for criminals, so this is obviously a twocking practice zone caught on camera

[@Carlos12330]

I was born and bred in Blaenafon and have to say it was a wonderful place to grow up in the 1960s but like most of the valley towns it has suffered from the economic policies of central government since the Thatcher era .

[@Turdtowns]

I can tell it used to be really nice. I think it has a future. The valleys should move towards tourism by promoting outdoor living.

[@Twm532]

yeah its the central governments fault not the local government which wont spend a penny outside of Cardiff

[@c.samuels87]

Can't wait for the next episode! Love this channel!

[@maurices5259]

When was this produced - I visited Big Pit in September 2022 and it was interesting, vibrant and very much open.

[@vinceturner3863]

Yes, a great experience going down the pit. And think it is still open, but may have had some closures (see Wikipedia)

[@JenniferA886]

I used to live in the UK for around 10 years… my favourite place was the last building I saw… the departure lounge at the airport

[@Cardifftoyboy1]

These valleys are dying. The reason they were built is long gone. Come back in 50 years and they will be gone along with anyone worth their salt with any ambition.

[@Turdtowns]

So you don’t think it can be the new Lake District then?

[@Cardifftoyboy1]

@@Turdtowns No.....South Wales is an Industrial mess. A hangover from a bygone era. The money tide started going out 60 years ago and has left a mudflat littered with dross and little opportunity.

[@jubs1533]

The Tower in Cwmbran had a 'Sky Lounge' on the top floor for residents when I worked for the housing association that owned it. It had sofas and PCs etc for the residents to use as they chilled out. Somehow I imagine it all got vandalised, the tech got stolen and it's behind lock and key nowadays.

[@midmiddleton163]

I'd probably be a raging alcoholic if I lived in any of those villages.

[@madguruJ]

So drunk you forget where you are yea

[@Turdtowns]

You might fall down a pit too.

[@LucyB-vx5ni]

I’m from Ebbw vale and most people are raging alcoholics 😂

[@rodgie84]

I'm from cwmbran. This video made me realise how grim things are in Wales 😮

[@simonf8902]

They won’t let you in there unless you are on the piss. 😂

[@richardmorganwrites]

All of a sudden, the background art in David Firth's cartoons makes WAY more sense. Thanks for this.

[@bigglestornado3882]

If you REALLY want to see the Turdiest towns in south Wales, and you think Newport is bad, try Rhonda, Cynon, Taff or RCT. Just been up there, but happily we survived...

[@rogerlee6599]

Agreed . . . NO obvious signs of any really decent levels of financial investment by Rhondda Cynon Taf (R.C.T.) Council, Welsh Government / Senedd Cymru & U.K. Government etc. in the 8+ years I have lived in the R.C.T. area since early December 2014 ( pre / post Brexit ) & this lack of financial investment MUST HAVE been going on for many years before that . . . 1980s onwards ( late ) Margaret Thatcher ( R.I.P. ? F*** Off ! ) & her U.K. Conservative Government ( pre-Welsh Devolution ) did not help this area of southeast Wales at all, since then & afterwards, late 1990s U.K. Labour Government of Tony Blair & the Welsh Government / Senedd Cymru, & the various different political party U.K. Government(s) since Welsh Devolution have NOT HELPED IN ANY WAY this area of southeast Wales I.M.H.O. ! Addendum : N.B. NO EVIDENCE AT ALL around this area of ANY post-Brexit LEVELLING UP FUNDING from the Con-servative U.K. Government DIRECT to the local Labour R.C.T. Council ( circumventing the Labour Welsh Government / Senedd Cymru ) !

[@gladysseaman4346]

Two areas I would love to see you cover are the Snowdonia environs and North Yorkshire.

[@Nunos645cgh]

How would that make sense? Snowdonia is stunning, hardly a turd town is it?

[@Thepastfinder79]

I will say having lived in the valleys as a man of Somerset with the twang you are right they are great people

[@Turdtowns]

So polite it actually took us back.

[@brianc5788]

The 'building' was the old boiler house for the Dunlop Semtex factory that used to sit where the supermarket now stands. I worked there on the "5 Line" tile production. 😁😁

[@TheKumaDono]

As a Newport/Cwmbran boy, I approve of this video.

[@carlsimmonds843]

THANKYOU!! The wife wanted to go to Wales for our anniversary. I thought nah won't to go one of the big towns, we can stay in one of the smaller towns might be nice. Booked somewhere in Ebbw Vale. Saw this video a few weeks later so decided to Google Street View the hotel. Safe to say I cancelled the booking and now staying in Hereford so we can just nip in to Wales if needed 😂

[@onelove111]

It’s honestly not so bad if you have a car and money to escape

[@bordersw1239]

Hereford isn’t exactly great, should have picked Monmouth/Brecon/Crickhowell.

[@jadekaay]

Years ago they got rid of all the youth centres and parks, then told everyone if they stood on the street in a group of more than three people then it would count as a gang engaged in antisocial behaviour. The streets are very empty in the valleys now

[@dave55uk]

Your descriptions and comments really crack me up, really makes me LOL. Keep up the excellent work - and widen your travel horizons a bit.

[@colinpreston4148]

As i was born and raised in Pontypool (now 68) in 1954. Then the town was the thriving metropolis of Gwent. Very little crime, no drug problems at all. Since the birth of Cwmbran and the building of the New town centre, and the by pass around Pontypool, and the closure of the railway stations it was the death of one of the most prosperous towns in any of the valleys. That said I was wise enough to leave when I became old enough to join the Army. Best move I ever made to be honest. Nowadays its a dead town, rife with drugs throughout and has nothing really going for it. Apart from the most famous rugby team in Wales. The Poola !! still going strong and playing extremely good. I still go to the games in the most wonderful surroundings in the park. Then get out as soon as the final whistle blows !!!

[@goodlifeliving1667]

The new train station they building looks proper ugly. Can't believed they destroyed Newport train station

[@garethwilliams-uy3uk]

I was also born in Pontypool (Panteg Hospital) in 1954 and was raised in Cwmbran but left in 1985 to live in Nottingham and it was the best decision I ever made as I saw no future remaining in Cwmbran with no prospects...

[@grayzytube]

I live ln Blaenavon, it's really very peaceful & quiet people know each other which is why there's little to no crime here. The closed shops? Yeah well that was the result of the council trying to commercialise the place via tourism by turning it into 'book town', it was doomed fom the outset. The shops that remain are needed, used and are all the residents need. I've lived in far worse areas in London.

[@FlashyVic]

1:13 My old flat!😲😎 Brynmawr heavy B roll. Not the most picturesque place but I loved the 7 years I spent living there.

[@christopheripad477]

I used to work in Cwmbran, the company got paid to employ the locals but they caused more damage than it was worth.

[@SHRWM]

I used to work in Ebbw Vale, Brynmawr and Pontypool in a sales job. These areas have the lowest credit scores in Wales and would often have to turn many potential customers away. Working in these areas actually took a toll on my mental health. And being in a commission based job it didn't help me financially either. 😂

[@Turdtowns]

Door to door? Bet you got some abuse I couldn’t do it tbf! Gotta make that money though

[@SHRWM]

@@Turdtowns no I worked for a phone shop, your footage of Brynmawr featured one of my old shops. The pressure from my superiors to sell to these people who just couldn't afford it was tough to deal with. Unfortunately these areas are similar to that of a lot of soviet towns in that they have been forgotten and lacked investment. There is little opportunity in these areas and the jobs are limited to very basic jobs. Fortunately now I've started my own business and have become self sufficient.

[@JamesSheehan-s7n]

You was happy to work there and take the money, I am from Bryn Mawr your comments are bullshit 💩

[@davem9208]

I am from the West Midlands and actually like Brynmawr, and have visited it a few times when down that way, once even detouring there on the way home from a weekend in Cardiff. It has got a really interesting history, mainly mining, and deserves a bit of time to research about it.

[@sandpit72]

Love the south Wales Valleys, would much rather live there than the south east of England.

[@Turdtowns]

Same

[@museonfilm8919]

Yes, more space and fresh(er) air!

[@Turdtowns]

@@museonfilm8919 yea I forgot to mention that in the video. There was much more crispness to the air.

[@ka536-e1g]

I live in Kent and although it has plenty of nice parts it is ridiculously expensive to buy a house and the entire county's infrastructure is in a constant state of construction. Consequentially, it's like living in a traffic jam, both audibly and experientially.

[@johnwilliams-gz4ss]

I was born in the valleys. Left for London in 1970, decided not to go back. In 1976 moved to the middle of Sussex, Not going back - Best decision I ever made. Bye bye Blaina.

[@olwens1368]

Used to go to Newport a lot- the indoor market was excellent, there was a mechanical clock in the central John Frost Square that really did draw a little crowd of people to watch it on the hour, there was a working historical transporter bridge, whch also drew a modest amount of interest, the library and art gallery were good, and there were a few really good shops in the centre- oh and the rugby club used to be OK. Then- kiss of death- they 'revamped' the market and built the 'exciting new' shopping arcade, which was dull and uninspiring even when it was new. While the work was being done the town was more or less impossible to drive around or get to from outside. Instead of going at least once a week we now go....about once every 18 months. We are not alone- many others felt it wasn't worth the effort, gave up on Newport and now go elsewhere. The mechanical clock moved to somewhere else where presumably no-one gets to see it. I believe the Transporter Bridge IS working at the moment, but it only runs in summer and for limited hours. Very sad- Newport used to have a lot of character and a bit of bustle.

[@paulperry2120]

I was born in Pontypool and moved to Australia when I was 2. In the 90s I decided to move back to my root's. What a mistake. It was a dirty backward hole. Hence I moved back to Australia

[@waynehiggs7335]

As a born and bred resident, I endorse this video.

[@cervelo9465]

Some of your best work, please plan to visit Merthyr and Rhondda you will not be disappointed.

[@richardstuart325]

I went to Newport once to visit the passport office, then immediately emigrated to Australia.

[@AallthewaytoZ2]

After I left the passport office, a thick mist had appeared from the river and as I rode back to the train station in the taxi it slowly spread across the streets. The fog was so thick it even muffled sounds. I ran through the train station and it was lapping at my heels as I jumped onto the train. Newport has an atmosphere. The journey across the moors was also unsettling.

[@Nunos645cgh]

@@AallthewaytoZ2 keep off the moors. Stick to the roads, and the best of luck

[@Pyjamarama11]

I hope you didn't end up in Tasmania That's just Wales upside down

[@barnowl.]

@@Pyjamarama11 It is NOT ! Tasmania, Australia is a beautiful tourist destination.

[@Pyjamarama11]

@@barnowl. you must have visited a different part to me Drive a few kilometres out of Hobart and the locals start to prod your car with pitchforks and scream "witchcraft !"

[@arthurarsekey6634]

I'm from a place south of Rhymney called New Tredegar, and yes the whole place is a ghastly shyte hole, although it's not as bad as it was in the 80s. Needless to say I moved when I was 17!

[@Turdtowns]

We actually planned to film there but Rhymney looked worse so we switched it! So yes we visited your place too! The Saturday hours thing in Wales confused us. When we arrived literally everything was closed so we couldn’t tell what was and wasn’t still in business 😂

[@arthurarsekey6634]

@@Turdtowns Rhymney is definitely worse, even when we were kids we would avoid it and walk south to Bargoed/Aberbargoed. To be honest though there are so many places like that in the valleys you could make a series of documentaries like your videos. You got most of the good ones though. That whole Abertillery valley, all the way down to Newport, is utterly awful. Blaina for instance, is at lest as bad as anything except maybe Pil/Newport.

[@Turdtowns]

@@arthurarsekey6634 is Blaina rough? We were gunna do it but there wasn’t much there.

[@arthurarsekey6634]

@@Turdtowns It looks like the high street needs bleaching and last time I was there, there was a 12 foot high pile of furniture and belongings in and surrounding a skip in a car park next to a pub. It's very special there. Ive got a friend who lives there and he is desperate to sell his house and can't get £80K for it, just modernised, 3 bedrooms. I've seen his neighbours and they look like the inspiration for a Lovecraft story. Been sharing the community gene you see. But to be fair, Brynmawr, Blaenavon and Newport, you hit the champs really.

[@arthurarsekey6634]

@@Turdtowns PS looking forward to the Mid Glamorgan video. Plenty of material there for at least 5 vid!!

[@andrewroberts4736]

This was brilliant. Can't wait for you to get to Kent. There are some true horror towns here.

[@rogerlee6599]

Where ? I am originally from East Sussex, over 1/2 century ago !

[@mariancounsellor]

I definitely felt uncomfortable driving around some parts of Kent. Luckily, I stayed in guesthouses in the nicer parts but have heard the crime rates are really high in parts of Kent.

[@baltasarnoreno5973]

@@rogerlee6599 Dover. Sheerness. Sittingbourne. Dartford.

[@jasejj]

Lol Kent. Just because it isn't quite as leafy as Surrey or Sussex you think it's a hell-hole. Haven't a bloody clue. Compared to East Durham it's heaven on Earth. Come to Easington Village, where there was at one point in the early 1990s 85% unemployment. Kent indeed.

[@baltasarnoreno5973]

@@jasejj You've never been to Kent and don't know the place, do you? You wouldn't say that if you did. I grew up in Glasgow. The shitty bits of Glasgow. And I lived in Kent for ten years. Trust me, Kent has got some real shitholes that are just as bad as anywhere further north. Try Dover, or Dartford, or Gravesend , or Sheerness, or the Medway towns. It isn't all big posh houses with big gardens and Audis.

[@Dan-lg4bs]

‘’its extremely diversed compared to the rest of Monmouthshire’’ ‘’And this can only help a city that’s set in its ways’’……. He says while labling said city to be the worse place to live in Monmouthshire. 🤦‍♂️

[@shaneeverett4688]

We lived in Abertillery for a few years. Not much going on there at all. Small terraced houses, no real career prospects. Highlight of the week was going to spoons and everything was so grey. Don't miss it.

[@damedavidfrith55]

Shame that once the major industry’s go everything go to hell with no support for the people left there 😢

[@kayew5492]

All the former mining areas have been subjected to a generation of neglect. No argument that coal needed to be phased out, but the methods were brutal. So much potential has been wasted, left to rot while other places have had money pumped into them, Cardiff for a local example.

[@Zero_Ninety]

@@kayew5492 There was never a plan for what to do once the mines closed. Thatcher didn't care because she knew they'd never vote Tory anyway.

[@michaeljames6793]

Would you believe! The Welsh Assembly are proud of the job they are doing for this once beautiful country.

[@megdye236]

You are behind the times. They renamed it the welsh assembly government and then more recently the senedd. But yes they are pretty bloody incompetent.

[@rogerlee6599]

Labour Administration in Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 . . . has been around for much too l-o-n-g ( l-o-n-g-e-r than the *Maggie Thatcher Years 1979 - 1990 [ included the 1980s Miners' Strikes of England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 & Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 ] & the *Tony Blair Years 1997 - 2007 in *BOTH England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 / U.K.G.B. 🇬🇧 = SAME TYPE of H.M. Government Admistration, whether Labour OR Conservative for years = TOO L-O-N-G ! ) in Wales, ever since Devolution VOTED 🗳 for, & historically ( hysterically 🤣 . . . ? ) Labour for ages . . . BEFORE then in Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 ! N.B. I.M.H.O. S/B #1 = Philanthropy BEFORE (at best ) #2 ( or #2s 💩 💩 ! ) ALL, ANYTHING & EVERYTHING to do with ANY Politics, Politicians & Political Parties etc. IRRESPECTIVE whether in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿, U.K.G.B. 🇬🇧 etc. ! ADDENDUM : REMEMBER it DOES NOT MATTER WHO YOU VOTE ❌ ➡️ 🗳 FOR . . . as the Government ALWAYS GETS IN 😢 👎 & makes me 🤢🤮 !

[@narannavan]

This is all Thatcher's fault and you know. Do you know how I can tell you're ignorant and prejudice (aka a Tory)? "Assembly".

[@sambryce321]

Considering literally every town on this list except for Newport had their local economies completely obliterated by Thatcher closing the mines, I don’t think we can blame this one on the Senedd.

[@elobiretv]

@@sambryce321 Lets blame Thatcher for stuff she did 30 years ago, as if the mines wouldn't have shut by now anyway 🤣 . I sure as hell wouldn't want to be working done a mine and earning fuck all for it anyway. Remember when they wanted to open a race track in Ebbw Vale and the Welsh Assembly put a stop to it?

[@Sealia77]

There seems to be a lot less litter on the streets compared to a lot of English towns.

[@philiptownsend4026]

Perhaps they can't afford litter there?

[@rogerlee6599]

Loads of litter in this local area of Rhondda Cynon Taf 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 . . . 'LOVE ❤ where YOU LIVE 🏠 🏘' Awards in R.C.T. Borough Council Area . . . What #% of the LOCAL Population DO NOT GIVE a Z- Sierra Hotel India Tango about the area in which they live . . . 🤔🧠💭 ?

[@Boumquan]

As someone who was born and grew up in Newport, I can confirm it has gone from a pretty vibrant town to a woefully dead city. We actually moved to Cwmbran and I think it gets a bad rep. It is one of the few places I've ever been where I felt safe walking around at night. Like anywhere else, it has its shit areas, but otherwise I'd say it's pretty good overall compared to a lot of places on this list 😊

[@Jon6429]

I'd like to nominate the village of Pencader over in Carmarthenshire. Stopped at the shop today for road snacks and was asked "Are you local?" Didn't know whether to laugh, run or ask for the 'Special'

[@Turdtowns]

Be an interesting county for sure o thought it was meant to be pretty nice on the whole. I’m more familiar with Pembrokeshire. Pembroke dock still haunts me from my childhood.

[@ivorwindybottom7364]

@@Turdtowns You won't get too much joy in Carmarthenshire. Bridgend is a shithole, surrounding towns like Maesteg, North Cornelly are depressing.

[@jonathanwells10]

@@Turdtowns Llandeilo, Llandovery are pretty grim. Used to drive through them on a montly basis and the best thing that can be said about them is the A40

[@paulrhyslloyd1]

Newport was a great town but when it was made a city the rates started going up and the shops started closing down and moving out of the centre when they could. Cwmbran struggles with being owned by a private landlord who sets expensive rates which makes it difficult for a lot of businesses to survive there. Pontypool struggles so much because it doesn’t have the biggest high street, the rates are still quite high there and some years ago tescos moved out from the town centre, Kwik Save closed and a lot of people started travelling from there to Cwmbran to shop. They’ve got a good leisure centre there and the park is fantastic to walk in when the weather is nice.

[@cervelo9465]

If you have time and opportunity I would love you to do a few little interviews with residents that you meet, it would be super great. Also if you can go on holiday to Scotland and make something, would be great. Thank you,

[@MMR_LM]

Genuinely surprised you didn't mention the proposed Circuit of Wales for Ebbw Vale, a proposed motor racing circuit with the aim - and government backing - of holding MotoGP's British Grand Prix. Unfortunately the whole situation was a scam but it promised Ebbw Vale a huge boost to its tourist economy

[@theleftyboater]

You need to visit Oldham just outside Manchester especially the housing estates just outside the town centre. They say the best thing about Oldham is the tram out of it. Also I’d try Rochdale too. Loving your work thanks for the content ❤

[@nebhalabir1201]

Alot of grooming gangs in both places...

[@theleftyboater]

@@nebhalabir1201 was

[@SaxonSuccess]

@@theleftyboater You mean it's all stopped now? No more grooming gangs?

[@simonsmith4015]

Bradford, Leeds, Huddersfield, Halifax and Batley/Dewsbury try West Yorkshire one now giant unflushable turd county

[@tombyrne9020]

​@@theleftyboaterand still is

[@motormouthalmighty]

Monmouthshire and newport.i 've not been there since mid 2007.i got lost for over an hour.(roadworks!)Wales is so beautiful!